Family of Man Shot by Arlington Police Wants Dashcam Video Released

The family of a man shot by an Arlington police officer is asking for proof that it happened the way police said it did.

They went to police headquarters Wednesday and sat in the lobby, waiting to see dash camera video and talk to a detective.

Tavis Crane, 23, was shot by an officer two weeks ago, but police say that was only after Crane had run over one of their officers twice.

According to Arlington police, a female officer pulled Crane over for a routine traffic stop, but found that he had outstanding warrants, including one for felony evading arrest.

Police say when they told Crane he was under arrest, he backed over the female officer twice and rammed her police car. She had several broken bones, but is recovering.

While that was happening, police say a second officer climbed in Crane's car to try to stop him. The officer shot Crane and he died at the hospital.

Crane's family says witnesses in the car tell a different story. His mother believes Crane hit the officer by accident during the commotion. They say seeing the video is the only way to clear up what happened.

"He was no angel, no, but to just bring up his past out of a traffic stop, he died off a traffic stop, in front of his two-year-old daughter,” said Crane’s mother Dee Crane. β€œShe was in the back seat and I need that to be out there. This baby heard her father get shot."

"You didn't get to know his character," added Crane's sister Alexis Crane. "You don't know who he was growing up and who he became as a man. So to me, it's not fair for you to look at this one thing and make him a huge criminal that he was not."

"Speaking to the people that were in the car, they're telling a totally different story than what the news is telling and the easiest way to answer is just to have the video released to us," said Crane’s brother Alex Crane.

Arlington police say they cannot release the video because this is an ongoing investigation. They're referring the family to the district attorney.

However, police say they have reached out to the family multiple times in the past to talk about the case.

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